Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1887-01-14
BY THE WATERS OF PARADISE,
ny y. MARION CRAWFORD.
Author of MI. "Isaacs." "pr. Claudius," sc,

WIS Nul W lhN lAluA AhNN NNhAlAkH hhN 4
think my temporary insanity on that o..
,ssion has had the effect OF making mo u
sauer msu ever since. Her manner turned
my head, for II was 80 different from
what had expected. To hear this lovely |
creature, who In my Imagination, WAS a
heroine OF romance d not OF tragedy, talking
fsmilisrly and laughing readily was more
than my equauimity could bear aud ! lost |
my head ns well as by heart But when !
went back tn England in the spring l went
to make certain arrangements at the castle
certain changes aud improvements WulNh
would I've absolutely necessary, | had won
the race for which had ontsTed myself SO
rsshly, and we were to be married in June
Whether the change was due TO the orders
had left with the gardener and the rest Of |
the servants, or to my own state of mind, |
cannot tell At Sll events the old place did |
not look the same TO me when l opened my |
window on the morning after my arrival |
There were the gray walls below me and the |
gray turrets hsuking the huge building, |
there were the fountains, the marble cause |
ways, the smooth basins, the tall box hedges, |
the water lilies aud the swans iust as Of old.
But there was something else there, too
something in the air, IN the water, anG IN
the grssnuess that l did not recognize
light over everything by which everything
was traushgured. The clock in the tower
struck seven, aud the strokes OF the ancient
bell sounded like a wedding chime The
air sang with the trillins treble Of the souE
birds with the silyery music OF the passing
waters SIl Inc selker nAEulDnN Ol lhc lrntN t.
stirred by the fresh morning wind. There
was a smell of new-mOwu hay from the dis
tant meadows, aud of blooming roses from
the beds below, waited up together 10 my
window. l stood In the pure sunshine and
drank the air aud all the sounds aud the
odots that were in II, aud looked down al
my garden aud said az is Paradise after
all think the men OF old were right when
they called heaven garden and Eden
garden Inhabited by one man and one woman,
the earthly Paradise.
turned away, wondering what had be-
come OF the gloomy memories l had always
associated with my home, l tried 10 reral!
| the impression Of my nurses horrible
| prophecy before the death OF my parents, IN
| imprs ssslou which hitherto had been vivid
| enough. | tried 10 remember my own self,
| my detection. my liStle 'sness, my bad lueS
| and my petty dlslppontmentS 1 en-.
| deavOred to force myself to think as l usEt
to think, If only TO satisfy myself that l had
| not lost my individuality. But ] succeeded
| in none OF these efforts | was 4 different
man, changed being, incapable %, sorrow,
| of ill-uCk, or Of sadness, My life had been
| a dream, not evil, but infinitely gloomy aud
| hopeless. II wss now reality, fall OF hope,
| gladness and all manner OF good. My home
| had been ike tomb to-day Il was para
| disc. My heart had been as though II had
| not existed to-day it beat with strength and
| youth and the certainty OF realized happiness
| / revelled IN the beauty Of the world and
| called lOyeliness out OF the future TO enjoy ii
before Ii ne should bring It TO me, as a trav.
| eller in the plains looks up 10 the mountains
| and already tastes tue cool air through the
| dust of the roai.
| Here, | thought, we will live and live for
| years. There We will sit by the fountain
towards evening and in the deep moonlight
| Down those paths We Will wander together. On
those benches we viii rest and talk. Among
those eastern hills We will ride through the
| oittwilight, and In the old house we Will
tell tales on winter nights when the logs
| burn high aud the holly berries are red, and
the old clock tolls out the dying year. 90
these old steps, in these dark passages and
stately rooms, there will one day De the
sound OF little pattsuug feet, and laughing
| child voices Will ring up to the vaults OF the
ancient hall. Those tiny footsteps shall not
be slow and sad as mine were, nor shall the
| childish words he spoken In an Ewed whisper.
| No gloomy WelshwOman shall people the
dusky corners with weird horrors, nor utter
| horrld prophecies Of death and CHASTITY things
| All shall be young. and fresh, and Joyful, aud
happy, and We Will turn the Old luck again
and forget that there was ever any sadness.
| SO ! thought, as | looked out OF my win
| dow that morning and for many mornings
after that, and every day It all seemed more
real than ever before, and much nearer, But
| the odd nurse looked at me askauCe, and
nuttered odd sayings about the " oman U
| the Water. | cared little nat sls said, FOL
! was far too happy.
At last the time came near iur the wed
ding Lady B.uebeu and all the tribe o
, Bluebells, as Margaret called them, were a.
| Blue6eN Grange, for we hsd detsrmlCed &
be married in the country, aud come straigh
TO the castle afterwards. We cared little tOl
| travelling, and not at all for a crowded Cere
mOny at ST Georges, In Hanover square
! | with all the tiresOme tOTIna.iues afterwards
I | l used to ride over 10 the Grange every day
| and very often Margaret would come viii
, | her aunt and some OF her cousins 10 the cas
| tie. i WAS suspicious OF my own taste, snl
was only too glad to let her have her wa,
, about the alterations and Improvements II
, | our home
We were to be married on the 5U.h Of July
, | and on the evening OF the 18Th Margage
Z | drove over with some Of the BIueDell party
In the long summer twilight we al Wen
| out into the garden. Naturally enOuGl
Margaret and | were left 10 ourselves, ant
We wandered down by the marOlo basins,
at is an odd coincidence" ! said "
= was on this very night last year that hrs
saw you"
A Considering that It is the month O
| july" answered Margaret, with a laugh
"and that we have been here almost ever.
day, Il don't think the coincidence Is so ex
t traordiuary after all
" NO, dear" said /, Il suppose not.
don't know why It struck me. We shal
| very likely be here year from to-day and
. year from that. The odd thing, when
: think OF it, is that you should DO here at all
7 But my luck has turned. | ought not 1
| think anything odd that happens now that
| have you, 1t is all sure to bV good"
: 4" A slight change in your ideas since tina
T remarkable performance Oi yours IL Paris,
| said Margaret " Do you know, ! though
you were the most extraordinary man Ia
ever met
: Al thought you were the most Charmiu
| / had ever se9n. / naturally did not want Z
lose any time in iTiyOlGle-. / took you a
your word, followed your advice, | asEe,
| you to marry me, and this is the delightful
| result-Whats the matter ?'
Margaret had started suddenly and he
! hand Lghtened on my srm. An Old woman
3 was coming up tLy path aud was close 10 u
| before we saw her, Tor the moon had TISeG
| and was shining full IN our faces. Tn
woman turned out to DO my old nurse.
" l2s only old judith, deaT--dOn't b
frightened" | said. Then I spoke TO tn
: WeIshwoman " What are you aYOut, Jud
ith ~ Have you been feeding the Woman O
> the Water ?"
"Ah-when thec,Ork strikes WIile-ml
| lord mean,n mutteTed tue old creature
+, drawing aside to lot US pass, and liking he
strange eyes on MargareI's iace.
! What does she mean ?' asked IaTEaT6
when we had gone by.
Nothing, darling. The Old hing sMIldl.
crazy, but no is agOOd soul"
( We went on IN silence tor fow moments
and came 10 the rustic bridge Just above til,
artificial grotto through which tho water "a!
out Into tne park, dark aud swift ia It's mar
row channel. We stopped and leaned on tn
wooden rail The moon was now benin,
US, and shOne full upon tho long vista Q
basins and on the huge walls aud towers U
the castle above.
How proud you ought 10 be Of such
grand old piano" said Margaret, softly.
= 1t Is yours now, darling, | answered